The power of television.  Check out this blog from Mental Floss for the breakdown of how Friends, ER, How I met your Mother, CSI and other shows have influenced viewers.  Here are some examples:

The strategic placement of this soap opera got voters.

D'Oh.  This show changed the way we speak.

This prime time soap opera became a showcase for artwork.

This dutch tv show helped draw attention to the shortage of organ donors - it was a twisted plot, but it worked!